Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1887-05-29
PLANETS FOR JUNE
WHAT PEEPS THROUGH TIE BIG rELE-
SCOPES WILL REVEAL.
Movements of the Principal Heavenly
Bodies-The Five Evening Stars
The Moon.
rprov,denee Journal


shines SeTenely in the glowing twilight be-
fore single shining point has pierced Tue
star. depths. and reigns supreme amid the
bright galaxy Of stars that surround her
when the evening shades prevail. The
fsireSt Of the stars is still moving eastward
and will continue 10 do so during the
month. She has met Saturn in her course,
81 q Is now feceding from him a. rapidly
as She approached him during the m )nlh
OF May. On the lst she will be In con-
junction with Pollux or Beta Gemino-
ium at O'Clock in the evening, being A.
south Of the star. On the 9TH she will
enter The constellation Cancer, and. pass.
lug near several small stars in her course,
will on the 18th make her way through
the nebulOus cluster OF minute stars in the
crest OF Cancer, called PTaesepc. The pas
sage OF the planet through the cluster may
be easily observed with the aid OF a
good opera glass. On the 23d she enters
the constellation Leo, and for the rest
of the month makes her swift way to-
wards Regulus. the leading brilliant IL
Leo. NJ. Brugierc, the president OF the
Fammarion Scientific Society at Mar
settles, records in LdStrOaOmie that he
saw with the naked eye Venus near the
moon in full daylight. The time OF the
observation was March 9th, at , O'Clock in
the afternoon, the plane. being % - from
the centre OF the moon, and The moon being
2j9 l5' from the sun. lt j. q noteworthy
occurrence to see Venus in broad DAYLIGHT
when so far away from the earth a. she was
in March, for she docs not reach her mlXi-
mum brillsncy until August 18th. when
ordinary observers IN this part Of the world
may easily find her, provided they know
where to lOOk. our nearest celestial neigh
tor, seen through the telescope, takes on
the aspect Of the gibbous moon
shortly before the last quarter Bat
Venus in the telescope Is di,ap.
pointing object on account Of her in
tense and dazzling brilliancy, while Venus,
a. seen by the naked eye. vending her
way among the lesser stars, i an object OF
surprising beauty. She reached her great
est northern dCclinatiOn on May 18th, and
since that time has beeA moving south.
Observers can readily follow her course n
>be passes south OF POlluX, plunges through
flc nebulous mass in Cancer, and makes
her swift way towards Regulus in the ham
die Of the Sickle. Personal observation of
Tins kind will greatly increase the interest
in astronomy, for those who know the stars
even by name feel kind OF ownership in
them, which is certainly undIsputed.
The right ascension OF Venus on the 1t
Is IN. 37m; her declinatiOn Is 23' ~ north !;
her diameter is 10" g, and she is in the
constellation Gemini.
Venus sets on the lst about q quarter
after 10 O'Clock in the evening; on the 30th
she sets few min utcs before 10 O'Clock.
JUPITER Is evening star. Ii Venus holds
The first rank among the stars that shine IN
The skies OF June, Jupiter will surely be
accorded the second place. No one can
look on this majestic star night after night.
rs he rises TO the zenith, without being
impressed by his presence or without
wishing to know more about him than the
simple fact that he j. Jupiter. the prince
Of planets. He is nov in the best possible
conditions for observation with the I'M
aided eye and with the telescope. He IS
still continuing his retrOgradc course ia
the constellation Of the Virgin and az
preaching nearer the bright star Spica On
Jbe lst he is 81 east OF the star; on the I'D
he j. A. northeast of the STIR. \ change
then occurs in Jupiter'> apparent motion.
He remains stationary for few days, and
then commences to move eastward or in 4
direct course in which he Will continue
until the end OF the year. The proof Of
this will be apparent in the increasing dis
lance that will soon intervene between him
and his bright attendant, while nearly
twelve years will pass before having COM
pleted the circuit OF the ecliptic, he comes
round to the same position in regard to
Spica.
The triangle of planets. consisting Of
Jupiter, Uranus, and Ncsta, i still visible
TO the naked eye IN the constellation Virgo,
although the planets have changed slightly
their position in the sky. Urinu, i, ,
south OF Gamma Virgins, and Nesta is
very near Zeta Virgins. The triangle i
now nearly equilateraI with Jupiter and
Vesta for the base and Uranus for the
summit. Keensighted observers may
succeed in obtaining view Of Jupiter IN
daylight. The lst is a good time for
making the experiment, for he is then near
conjunction with the moon, which will
serve a a guide to his position. He must
be Looked fer few degrees south Of the
moon, a short distance above the horizon.
Those who wish to te-t theiryisual powers,
il they ar Of unusual excellence, will be.
hold on the I'd the third satellite Of Jupiter,
east OF the planet. Thus the star-lit even.
iugs OF June are not only adorned by the
presence OF the two brightest members OF
the solar family, but they may both be seen
in the presence OF the great ,un himself.
The right ascension Of Jupiter on the 1T
is lGb. 4lm.; his declnation Is 5 So south,
his diameter is 1914, and he i, in the con-
stellatiOD Virgo.
Jupiter sets on the 1st about a quarter
after > O'Clock in the morning: on the 3)th
be sets a quarter OF an nOur after midnight.
SATURN Is evening star. THIS softly
beaming planet is fair TO see during the
larger portion Of the month, a. be forms
part OF q rarely-beauliful picture OF the
glory OF the stars. The brilliant Venus is
cast Of BIN, Castor and POlluX are north,
and ProcyOn is south. Thus Saturn, We
nus, Castor, POlluX, and PrOcyOn shine
every evening in the same portion OF the
heavens. II Is 4 rare occurrence when five
first magnitude stars are found in such
near proximity.
A change VIII soon be manifest In the
ce', stial picture. Venus i speeding her
flight sWay from Der brother planet, and
saiurn's course as evening star is nearly
ended. He will be seen no more at pres
ent after the month closes. He is then so
near the sun that he sets about an hour
later, and bis light is eclipsed IN the all.
powerful beams Of the great luminary.
The right ascension OF Saturn on the lst
is III. 2Sm, his declination il DO 80 north,
his diameter Is 1G|, and he Is in the cOnstel-
latiOn Gemini.
Saturn SETS on the lst about 10 o'clock in
the evening; on the 30th he sets at a quar-
ter after O'Clock.
MERCURY Is evening star. On The Goth
be is in conjunction with Saturn at 1
O'Clock in the afternoon, being II 81 south.
A telescope will give fine view OF the two
planets on the evening Of the 20th, while
good observers will be able to find them
with the unaided eye, as they do not set on
that evening until o O'Clock, more than an
hour and a half after the sun. During the
last ten or twelve days OF the month Mer-
curry viii present unus Tally favorable con-
dtiOns for observation as evening star
on account OF his high northern de-
clinatlon. He seems 10 follow nearly
the same path that marked the course OF
Venus during May, only moving much
faster over the track. He draws near the
same stars that have become familiar by
their cODiuDctions with Saturn aud Venus.
On the Sth be is In conjunction with Eta
GemiDorum, on the 9th with Mu GeminO-
rum, on the 18th with Zeta Gemiuorum, on
The 20th with saturn. After the last con-
junction he will be visible TO the end Of
the month, growing brighter every night,
and may be readily found with the help OF
an opera.glass by observers who command
view Of the northwest horizon.
The right ascension OF Mercury on the 1st
is hh Am bia doalinoffon Il 90 ~ norfh